Friday, 21 December 2012

Thanks to Apple Care, my new hard drive is working
beautifully and I can get back on track with my blog posts! ‘

Tis the season to be merry, full of holiday
parties, Christmas cheers and most of all….excessive consumption of treats and
booze!

I love a good party, especially if it involves an
ugly Christmas sweater, but that doesn’t mean you have to completely abandon
ship and give up your fitness or healthy eating routine. It is possible to
enjoy yourself, indulge a little and still feel great during the holidays. To
do so, consider following some of the simple guidelines I have listed below. I’ve
also included three of my favorite recipes (appetizer, entrée and dessert) if
you’re looking for a new and nutrient filled dish for your next holiday endeavor.

1.Eat something ahead of time- this may sound counterintuitive, but if you
show up ABSOLUTELY starving, people will start giving you weird looks as you
stuff your face with every single piece of food in sight. A salad with lean
protein, some veggies and hummus or a piece of fruit ahead of time can keep
hunger at bay and prevent you from over eating.

2.Be picky- You look forward to your Grandma’s chocolate dipped shortbread
all year and have to have one. Before filling your plate with everyday items,
do a scan of the food table and pick out which items you enjoy most. Choose foods that you don’t
normally get, and say no to those you can make at home anytime. My guilty
pleasures? I head straight for the red wine (hello merlot) and anything
chocolate at the dessert table

3.Watch the liquid calories- a HALF-CUP (yes literally a tiny half-cup
measure) of eggnog contains a whopping 220 calories on average. Since most
people pour at least one cup and top if off with a shot of rum, you’re looking
at over 500 calories per drink. Limit yourself to one small rum and eggnog, cut
the eggnog with skim milk if watching your fat intake and go easy on the rum
for a rich and tasty treat. Alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of
water to stay hydrated and avoid being “that drunk girl” at your office
Christmas gathering.

4.Make wise choices- Choose a smaller plate if possible, and load it up
with raw veggies to start. I always go for the “expensive” stuff, aka shrimp
cocktail, the meat and cheese platter, and you’ll find me heading for seconds
if there’s a roast of lamb or beef being served. The worst fingers foods tend
to be: creamy dips or spreads, puff pastry, breadcrumb coated or deep-fried anything.
Save room for dessert, but limit yourself to small portion sizes, think one of
two pieces, as most Christmas cookies, pies and bars are full of butter and
refined sugar.

5.If you’re looking for recipes for your next potluck, I’ve had great
success with all three listed below

I made this vegan friendly chocolate pudding at another Christmas party
and used it as a dip for a fruit platter my friend brought. It has a delicious,
rich taste and is full of healthy fats from the avocado and coconut milk.

Sunday, 9 December 2012

These
days, it seems like every other product is labelled “gluten-free” and there is a fast growing trend for restaurants to post separate gluten free menus. While this is great for people who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/12/04/what-grains-mean-or-dont-mean-for-weight-loss/)
there are still tons of hidden sources of gluten out there. If you are on
a strict GF diet for medical or health purposes, you really need to read your
labels and become aware of what does and doesn’t contain gluten.

A
lot of people also ask me the question “should I be on a GF diet?” Since I’m
not a regulated health professional (four years until I get my N.D.!) This is
not something I feel comfortable commenting on. I will say this; should you
think you suffer from celiac disease of have gluten sensitivity or other food allergies, this is
something you should see your family physician or a licensed naturopathic
doctor about. They can run further tests and assess your symptoms to determine
the best course of action. As well, cutting gluten and filling your diet with sugary
starchy, gluten-free snack foods and bread will certainly not improve your
health OR lead to weight loss.

This
list is by no means exhaustive but a good place to start

•Barley (flakes, flour, pearl)

•Breading and bread stuffing

•Brewer's yeast (if leftover from making beer)

•Bulgur

•Couscous

•Durum (type of wheat)

•Deep fried anything that is coated in bread crumbs
or panko crusted

•Farro/Faro (also known as spelt)

•Graham flour

•Hydrolyzed wheat protein

•Kamut (a type of wheat)- better tolerated in some
individuals

•Malt, malt extract, malt syrup, and malt flavoring

•Malt vinegar

•Malted milk

•Matzoh, matzoh meal

•Modified wheat starch

•Oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, and whole oats
(unless they are from pure, uncontaminated oats) you must be non-contamined
certified wheat AND gluten free oats (wheat free doesn’t mean gluten free, they
could still be processed on the same manufactoruing equipement as barley, it
would be like a kid with a peanut allergy eating a chocolate bar processed on
the same equipment at Reese’ pieces)

•Rye bread and flour

•Seitan-A meat-like food derived from wheat gluten
used in many vegetarian dishes, and fake meat products such as Tofurky or
veggie ground round

•Semolina

•Spelt (A type of wheat also known as farro or faro,
dinkel)- certain people can tolerate spelt better other types of gluten
containing grains

•Triticale

•Wheat bran

•Wheat flour

•Wheat germ

•Wheat starch

•Atta (chapati flour)

•Dinkel (also known as spelt, a type of wheat)

•Einkorn (type of wheat)

•Emmer (type of wheat)

•Farina

Fu (a dried gluten product made from wheat and used in some Asian
dishes)

•Beer, ale, lager- along with this certain hard
alcohols such as different vodka gbrands are made from wheat, NOT potatoes, and
even though the distillation process should technically remove this, it’s
probably better to stick with clear gin or wine instead. There area few brands of GF beer available, but I haven't personally tried any of them

•Broth, soup, soup bases- look for barley malt extract

•Cereals

•Some chocolates, some chocolate bars, and licorice

•Flavored coffees and teas (certain brands)

•Imitation bacon bits and imitation seafoods-
California rolls at sushi restaurants are usually NOT GF, because most use
imitation Pollock, which contains wheat and not real crab

•Medications (check with your pharmacist) and
certain lipsticks and other makeup contain gluten

•Pastas

•Salad dressings

•Sausages, hot dogs, deli meats- added at toasted
wheat crumbs, same with burgers where breadcrumbs are usually added

•Sauces, marinades, gravies (flour is added as a
thickener, use cornstarch or xantham gum at home instead)

Friday, 30 November 2012

I know most of my blog posts are happy and motivating, but I felt overtraining syndrome was something I needed to highlight and educate individuals on. I see a lot of people at the Western Gym, who looks healthy, fit and following a training log, and other who looks like they are about to pass out on the treadmill. It is very important to be aware of overtraining syndrome, and look for signs and symptoms in yourself and your teammates or peers.

Numerous studies have documented the favourable effects of physical
activity on mental health. Along with physiological adaptations to training,
physical activity interventions have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety, increase self-esteem and lead to improvements in mood across a wide
variety of populations. Right from the start, physical activity can promote
self-esteem and positive body image in children. During
pregnancy, staying active can mitigate the uncomfortable and exhausting
physical and mental effects of pregnancy and parturition. With aging, physical
activity helps maintain quality of life throughout the later years.

However, too much exercise may potentially develop
into overtraining syndrome and severe mental distress in both high-performance
athletes and physically active individuals. Simply put, “the
overtraining syndrome is a condition of fatigue and underperformance, often
associated with frequent infections and depression which occurs following hard
training and competition. The symptoms do not resolve despite two weeks of
adequate rest, and there is no other identifiable medical cause.”

Under
normal training conditions, athletes or gym rats go through periods of
progressive overload followed by recovery to improve performance. However, if
recovery phases are inadequate or the training overload and intensity is excessive,
this can lead to high fatigue and underperformance.
Common psychological symptoms that present at this point include fatigue,
disturbances in sleep patterns, feeling “unrefreshed”, loss of libido and
competitive drive, emotional instability, weight loss, anxiety, irritability
and depression.

Hence,
early detection by coaches, peers and family members is essential to prevent
further and potentially dangerous physiological harm or complete burn out. REST
is the most important thing an athlete can do at this point. Depending on the
severity of the situation, further treatment options are varied and range from:
vitamins supplements and dietary changes to address any nutritional deficiencies,
increased recovery days, hydration and sleep, deep tissue massage and
counseling. To avoid chronic re-occurrences, coaches and individuals should incorporate
cross-training methods, and optimize rest periods between workouts.

Remember
you need to “listen to your body”. There is a difference between feeling the
burn and being in pain, and you should NEVER feel guilty for taking a day of rest from the gym if necessary.

Saturday, 24 November 2012

People always say I could never live with out
____________fill in with your favorite food (potato chips, fettuccine alfredo,
poutine etc.) and I can totally understand that. I could never give up
chocolate, no matter how hard I try! I firmly believing having an all-or-none
mentality can do much more harm than good. For example, if you tell yourself ice
cream is completely forbidden, you have a bad day, wind up at the grocery
store and end up purchasing and consuming an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s, in one sitting which
you definitely DIDN’T need. It's much
better to have balance in your life and treat yourself everyone once and awhile
with moderate portion sizes to avoid deprivation. Note, this is not okay for people who have severe
allergies or intolerances. A true celiac disease individual must avoid all
forms of gluten as it can be extremely harmful to the lining of their gut and
cause permanent damage. For people with allergies or those lookingfor healthier subtitutions I have
offered some suggestions below.

For lower carb/ gluten-free options for many common dishes.

1. Spaghetti squash for pasta noodles- this is one of my
favorites! Spaghetti squash has an amazing texture, a fraction of the
carbohydrates, GF friendly and chocked full of nutrients. Here I substitute it
in a spaghetti dish, and in a tomato and mushroom pasta
dish as a side to my grilled beef tenderloin. I cut in half and roasted in the oven for the best flavour and texture.

4. Chia seeds, hemp hearts and buckwheat grouts instead of cereal
– Way higher in protein, healthy fats and fiber than most breakfast cereals,
Skinny B and Holy Crap cereals are great tasting, allergen friendly
alternatives. If the price of the small bag sends you running, use this link to
make your own.

5. Dark chocolate for milk chocolate. Instead of those cheap tasteless semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, spend a little more money for a good quality dark chocolate (minimum 70%) when baking desserts.

Like I said about treating yourself, pizza is my all time favourite food, and something I could never live without. Since gluten and lactose don't seem to agree with me, I treated myself to a homemade pizza using Bob's Red Mills Gluten Free Pizza Crust mix topped with an organic, raw aged cheddar. Instead of the usual high-sodium, preservative laden tomato sauce, try using Simply Natural Organic Tomato and Basil Pasta sauce from Costco. Life should never be about giving up the things you love, just findings ways to re-invent and make them better :)

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

No blog these days is 100% original since the Internet
allows for rapid sharing of information…..for better or for worse.

I have seen LOTS of
amazing blogs online, tags on Pinterest, and infographics, but probably twice
as many bad/incorrect ones. While most of my blog ideas are ones that happen to
pop into my head, I also get ideas from reading other peoples’ blogs and pins.

I wanted to highlight some amazing blogs from my fellow
Phys-ed/Kinesiology students who graduate with me from Queen’s University.
These are a great place to start if you are looking for healthy recipes, have
questions about the gym, or need some rehab advice

This beautiful blog is the product of Michelle, an awesome
gal who is now living in Kingston. She has great recipes with easy to follow
pictures, excellent advice/tips on CrossFit, and overall a really good outlook
on health and life. I definitely recommend checking out her blog.

Wanna get jacked at the gym? Or don’t know where to start if
new to working out? Jeremy is your guy. He is a gym guru, and posts some really
good information on fitness, health and workouts on his blog. Worth checking
out if your workouts are starting to bore you.

David studied both physical education and physical therapy
at Queen’s, however his knowledge of functional anatomy extends way beyond the
classroom and traditional textbooks. His innovative blog offers insight into
exercises to target specific muscles and dispels many myths about
rehabilitation practices.

Okay I didn’t go to school with this guy, but I think he’s
awesome. He provides extremely well written and scientific articles on many
common health topics and health conditions. His YouTube videos and Ted talks
are also worth watching. I subscribe to his weekly newsletters and they are
always is full of interesting and helpful information.

Saturday, 10 November 2012

I am the Freezer Queen. One because I am ALWAYS freezing
(hello Africa next semester) and Two because I freeze everything! Living alone
makes it hard to get through entire packages of certain food items before they
go wrong.

Not only does
spoiled food mean wasted money, it also puts you at risk for food poisoning if
you constantly consuming foods that are well past their best before date. My
housemates in university used to laugh at me because I always had little tid
bits of everything frozen in the freezer, however it saved me money an I always
had meals or food around during crazy exam time. While this list is not
exhaustive, below I have compiled foods that do and don’t freeze well. If you
buy something and are uncertain of how long it will last for, a great website is stilltasty.com, I use
it all the time and find their information to be highly accurate.

On a side note, a HUGE pet peeve of mine is that people
don’t realize the best before date ONLY, I mean ONLY applies to unopened items. For instance, you buy a container
of sour cream, says its best before December 1st 2012, but you
opened it in September, it will probably only last a few weeks once opened. You
cannot use the best before date to determine is food is still good once the
seal it broken, that’s where stilltasty.com comes to the rescue!

Fruits and vegetables:-

Generally produce that has a lower water content freezes
better than high water containing fruits and veggies. This explains why things
like cucumbers and iceberg lettuce don’t fare so well in your freezer.

Bananas are awesome, and make great vegan “ice cream”
blended frozen in your food processor, make sure you cut before freezing

I have also frozen sliced peaches, nectarines, berries,
pineapple, pear and grapes. When freezing things like strawberries, cut up and
freeze on a cookie sheet before placing in a bag so all the pieces don’t stick
together

I’ve also frozen vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower,
green beans and carrots in the past. Best to blanch them first to remove excess
water before freezing

I also love all types of squash (spaghetti, acorn,
butternut) but again, very difficult for me to consume an entire squash before
it goes bad! Best to cook, cube and then freeze

Sauces and condiments-

Whenever I make a big pot of stew, spaghetti sauce or soup,
I always freeze at least two portions in the freezer for quick meals down the
road.

I know my mom has also frozen ketchup in the past, however
most condiments are so cheap that is you’re concerned about food safety, chuck
them and buy a new bottle

That being said, whenever I buy Nuts to you Nut Butter
Tahini to make hummus, I can never get through the entire jar before it goes
rancid, now I’ve learned to use half and then freeze the rest.

Dairy and dairy alternatives-

Hard cheese like cheddar and mozzarella freeze well, softer
cheese like brie, goat and feta are okay, however the texture will change when
unfrozen so better to use them grated and heated in a recipe like a pizza or
casserole dish

Milk freezes extremely well, just be sure to lay the bag
flat and careful when defrosting as it expands and sometimes will crack the
plastic bag and cause huge spills

Almond milk and soy milk can also be frozen, you will just
need to shake them well before serving once defrosted

I believe you can also freeze tofu, but it will change the
texture significantly so when defrosted consider using in a stir-fry where the
texture could be masked

Sour cream apparently does not freeze well (although I’ve
never tried), however cream cheese in the block form does, and I’ve never
frozen yogurt for long periods of time so I don’t know what it would be like

Another thing that freezes great is butter, if it’s on sale,
buy two and freeze one for a baking session down the road, I never buy it hard
margarine (because it contains hydrogenated oils) but I’m assuming it would
also freeze well

I’ve never frozen eggs because I eat them all the time and
they last a long time. I did some research on the internet and people suggest
cracking them first, whisking together a big bowl and then freezing the mixture
in an ice cube tray or poured into a big container.

Meat-

whole chickens are cheap, hard to eat as one person. I will
often buy and roast and entire chicken, de-bone and freeze half the meat, same
can be said for big portions of cooked ribs, pork, beef or fish for that
matter, I would freeze in small portions so that you have a serving size ready
to take out and defrost in the fridge (NOT kitchen counter) when needed.

FYI most meats and fish need to be taken out the night
before you want to eat them for dinner in order to fully defrost

Bread and bread like items-
Generally any baked good will
freeze excellent, great way to prevent your bread loaf from growing moldy on
the shelf, same things goes for muffins, cookies, banana bread etc. I make a
huge batch of muffins, keep a few in the fridge and then freeze the rest
immediately. I will take it one out the night before when I pack my lunch in
the fridge, and by the time I go to eat the muffin the next day, it only needs
a couple seconds in the microwave.

Canned goods-
You’re making a pot of spaghetti and the
recipe calls for 1 tbsp. tomato paste, what the heck do you do with the rest of
the can? I have frozen leftover cans of tomato paste, 100% pure pumpkin, tetra packs
of vegetable stock, coconut milk, and diced tomatoes. Make sure you take the
item out of the can and put in a new Tupperware before freezing

Things like nuts and dried fruits are best stored in the
freezer, where they will last much longer than at room temperature.

Got a big batch of basil leaves or cilantro growing in your
garden? Trim the leaves from the stem, freeze on a cookie sheet, transfer to a
bag, and voila fresh herbs in the middle of winter

Apparently you can also freeze pasta but I’ve never tried,
and for people on a gluten-free/paleo diet, I’ve heard that almond flour
freezes well!

Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Think again! To
feel great and save money, it’s best
to pack your own snacks for the road and be prepared when hunger strikes. Not
only is fast good generally less healthy, it is also way more expensive, making
it an all around bad option on a student budget. Here are some of my go-to items
I pack when heading out in my car for a weekend getaway.

1.Fresh fruit and veggies- you can’t go wrong with
fresh produce. I always bring a couple pieces of fruit (apple/pear for eating
in the car, bananas for breakfast) and LOTS of veggies. For a quick energy
snack, veggies sticks and hummus, or fruit slices with nut butter offer
satisfying and healthy treats. I also save takeout containers/ clamshell boxes
of lettuce and use this to pack salads in for road trips. This way I know I’m
getting my 5-10 a day even when away from home. I always recommend fresh fruit or veggies over processed,
which is why I am not a big fan of trail mix, especially the pre-mixed kind.
The nuts and seeds are often roasted in oil and excess salt, and dried fruit are
usually also coated with unhealthy hydrogenated oils and sugar. Any trail mix
containing M&M’s sort of defeats the purpose of this being a "healthy snack" Trail mix is very nutrient
dense and high in calories, so if you plan on doing strenuous activites are
your destination, it can make a good option if you make your own using dry
roasted nuts/seeds and unsweetened dried fruit.

** NOTE if you are traveling to the USA
this is not really an easy option. I have taken fruit across the border before and make
SURE you declare when they ask and bring fruit that is product of USA (the sticker on the fruit
will tell you) but this will slow you up at airports as they will pull you into
a special room and inspect the fruit, this is when is might be worth it to suck
it up and pay the $1.50 for that apple past security. I usually tell them I’m a
student and I was emptying out my fridge and took what was left, I’ve never had
food taken away if I declare ahead of time, it just adds time at security.

2.Healthy granola bars- My favorite our homemade
or store bought larabars (made using dates, nuts/seeds and spices), taste of
nature and be kind bars. I find most other brands contain way too much sugar,
trans fat and preservative. Kashi granola bars also make a good non-gluten free
option. Store bought muffins/ scones/ cookies are the worse thing you can get.
That McDonald’s/Starbucks muffin is stuffed full of refined flours and sugar,
which will only leave you feeling hungry shortly after consuming.

3.Do some research and if your hotel room has a
fridge, this can also make it easier to bring your own food on a road trip.
Hardboiled eggs, small tubs of unsweetened Greek yogurt, leftovers from last
night’s dinner, fresh veggies etc. can all be stored in the fridge, saving you money and empty
calories. If the hotel doesn’t serve breakfast, bringing a container of
“overnight oats in a jar” with some fruit is a quick and easy option for the
morning.

5.If the hotel serves breakfast, don’t be
embarrassed to bring some of your own healthy items in the morning! I hate
regular peanut butter, so I always bring my own small container of natural nut
butter to breakfast, and I know my dad never travels without a Ziploc baggie of
his favorite Nature’s Path organic cereal. This way you can mix and match items
at the breakfast buffet, and start your day off on the right foot.

6.If you get to your destination absolutely
famished but don’t want to waste money on expensive restaurants, ask your
concierge for directions to a location grocery store. Especially if you’re in a
city, grocery stores might offer healthy to-go items such as salad bars, sushi
and soup stations, which will often be cheaper than those sold in fast food
chains.

About Me

A current student at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, I aspire to share my passion for fitness, health, nutrition and life with all my patients when I graduate and become a licensed Naturopathic Doctor.